EoFF RPG Thunderdome 2020 Round 4: Match 2

[Wolf Kanno]

Match 2 of Round 4. This will be based on the contestant's strengths which are similar enough. The Categories are Plot and Characters.

Trails of Cold Steel
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vs.

Xenogears
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[Lord Golbez]

Sorry, Trails of Cold Steel. It's good, but Xenogears is one of the all time greats. ToCS just doesn't stand a chance when playing to Xenogears' strengths.

[WarZidane]

Both games are great in this regard, but ToCS just a bit less so simply because it's mostly setting up Cold Steel 2, so you get very little in terms of complete character arcs and story resolutions. That's not something I hold against CS, but I have to judge it purely on its own merits, not on it and CS2's merits.

[Fynn]

I did not expect Wooz to vote against Trails in both of its matchups :p

[WarZidane]

Well hey, I've never hidden the fact I think graphics/art is Trails' weakest aspect, and I actually happen to like the art of Ivalice. :p

This match-up was a tougher call, but Xenogears has great plot/characters too, and CS1+CS2 was intended to be one game/story, which means it's like judging only the first half of a book you love. You still love that first half of the book, but it's not the same without all the payoffs that come in the second half of the book.